My COR 100 waiver examination paper was today from 2 pm to 5 pm. I studied quite a bit for this paper, even though it's basically just English language...

This COR 100 waiver exam means that if I passed, I wouldn't need to take the actual COR 100 module. If I failed, I'd have to take that module next semester. From the course information site, here's the outline.

• Academic writing
  1. Types of academic writing: data commentary, summaries, critiques, research papers
  2. Purpose, context, audience
  3. Conducting research
  4. Focussing on a topic
  5. Exploring and brainstorming ideas
  6. Avoiding plagiarism
     
     
• Grammar and style of academic writing
  1. Verbs
  2. Linking words and phrases
  3. Word Choice: vocabulary shift
  4. Summary words
     
     
• Structure and content
  1. Outlining and organising ideas: general to specific, cause and effect, problem solution
  2. Deciding on the key content and supporting ideas
  3. Developing an argument: thesis, analysis, explanation, interpretation
  4. Writing a thesis statement
  5. Developing paragraphs: topic sentence and supporting information
  6. Achieving text cohesion and coherence: between ideas within paragraphs and between paragraphs
  7. Writing effective introductions and conclusions
  8. Revising and editing
     
     
• Integrating secondary resources
  1. Documenting sources properly
  2. Styles of documentation in academic writing: APA, MLA, etc.
  3. In-text and end-of-text referencing

When I was applying for the waiver exam, I figured I could communicate effectively enough. And yesterday after revising a bit more on citation and other stuff, I really thought I was ready. I over-did it a bit though. I finally went to sleep at about 3:30 am. Woke up at about 7 am due to a bout of diarrhoea. I thought to myself, "Of all the days to get diarrhoea! Dammit!" I went back to sleep at about 7:30 am.

And I finally woke up at 4 pm.

Yes. I woke up at freaking 4 pm, and missed the exam. I woke up, saw that I slept through all my 5 alarms, and swore at myself. I really hated myself at that point of time. Of all the things to happen?! I paced about thinking of all the options, and dismissing them. Can I race to the exam? It was 4 pm. If I took 10 minutes to get ready and another 5 minutes to get a cab, that would allow me to reach the exam hall at about 4:30 pm (best case scenario here). Even if they allow me to take the paper (which is listed in the exam information/rules paper that anybody reaching more than half an hour late won't be allowed to enter the exam hall), I'd have only 30 minutes to read and answer the 3 questions in the paper. The 2 sample papers that I had were of 13 and 18 pages each. I think I would only have time to read the questions and not have any time at all to start the paper. *Sigh...*

I wondered if I could ask for a second sitting, but I remembered that the exam information/rules paper said that, "If you absent yourself from the waiver examination, you shall be deemed as having forego the opportunity to sit for the waiver examination. There is no replacement for the waiver examination."

*Sighhhhhh...*

I have a class later today, and the lecturer teaches COR 100 as well. I'm going to ask him if there's anything that can be done. I doubt if there is, though.

It's very annoying of UniSIM to just have one exam date though. I know of at least one person who wouldn't be able to sit for the waiver exam due to work commitments. I know my missing the exam is my own fault, but having UniSIM to blame makes me happier.

Heh.

Guess I will be sitting for the COR 100 module next semester. *Sighhhhhhhhhh...* I still can't believe that the reason I missed the exam was because I overslept. :( I hate myself.